Bird Room Revamp Reveal

I still have to paint the walls and put in the bed, but at least you can see all the stuff I have made/bought for the bird room. Click here, here, and here, to see my other items I have made or bought for this room over the last few weeks- also you can see a before shot of the room here. :)
First, I unfolded the greeting cards, wrapping paper, etc, and cut them into shapes to be decoupaged...
Then I began painting...
Frugal decor secret! I bought these at Marshall's 3 years ago. {our room used to be black and white} I LOVE these, but they do not really go with our decor so...
instead of spending lots of money on this project by buying many canvases etc, I just used these. :)
For the long center piece that you will see in a minute- I also painted over something I already had. It said, "and they lived happily ever after." {look closely and you can still see it a bit} While I love the saying- the piece as a whole didn't really go with our room... I will eventually add it back in a different more appropriate style. :)
My "happy helper." Ok, he at least kept me company. :)


Drum Roll Please..........









The finished product:
The "over the bed" decor. Click on pic to enlarge. {the top/middle square- the image is from file folders I bought- LOVE THEM}
I hand wrote Bible verses/quotes about birds: Matthew 6:26, Matthew 10:29-31, Psalm 50:11, part of the song that goes: "I sing because I'm happy. I sing because I'm free. For His eyes are on the sparrow, and I know He watches me," and Matthew 8:20. {did I mention Matthew is my fav book in the Bible} ;)
Here is a little decoupaged storage caddy. At first I just had the front and side pics on it. Then I realized it needed something else- stroke of genius hit and I added the thin strips us top. :)
Out of everything I made, Mr. Incredible was most impressed by this trash can...
He couldn't get over how it was just plain wood- and then it became this. :)
A frame for the little stickers. :)
Here is a future project: I will have two little hand prints painted on this- one blue and one green. :) Maybe a paw print too?
Another future project: I was going to decoupage this, but the shape makes it hard. Still trying to decide what else to do... maybe the same hand prints?? :)

These were my first decoupage projects using Modge Podge. I have decoupaged using other mediums before, but I will never again use anything but Modge Podge! I am in love! Also, a few weeks ago, I found this craft site- once again- in love!!

Karpouzi

For the past couple weeks, I have been eating healthy. I am not dieting because diets don't work. I am eating healthy- the way God intended us to eat- and eventually it will show on the outside! :) I found this article early on my new healthy lifestyle. Isn't it great!?!

When I was in Greece, (I am Greek- met some family there in Aug, 06), we ate karpouzi all day long. What is karpouzi? Well, believe me, you know what it is. It is the Greek word for watermelon!
For my new healthy lifestyle- I am turning to my Greek ancestors for some tips. ;) We ate karpouzi with every meal- and large amounts of it. The last few days, I have eaten 1/2 a karpouzi per day. Don't you just love how God created it to be its own little bowl. ;)

Over Memorial day weekend, (starting Thursday night), I didn't get to eat as healthily as I had been. But that is just it. I am not dieting- I am just making healthy choices. All food is ok IN MODERATION, so those was my bad food choices for a while! I actually felt yucky come Sunday, (and I didn't even eat all that bad prior- burgers for dinner but I was healthy the rest of the day, etc). My body was so used to strict healthy stuff that it was not happy with the less than perfect stuff I put into it. I guess that is why it has been craving karpouzi all week. :)

I am off to work on the bird room. I KNOW, I know- I promised it would be done yesterday. Sorry! Hanging it all is a little stressful so I have been putting it off- when I hang it you will see why it is so stress inducing!

Yesterday Mr. Incredible wanted to get the lawn mowed before the rains came. He opened the door, and had me come out. At first I was irritated- then I saw why he called me out and turned to grab my camera.
A full arc! {Babe, the yard looks great BTW! So lush! Way to go installing the sprinklers! I love you and I am so proud of all you do!} Hey, he isn't called Mr. Incredible for nothing! ;)
It is hard to tell in this pic, but this part of the rainbow was so bright- it seemed to really be right behind those trees. Like it was close to us or something. Pretty cool!!

Seeing rainbows can symbolize many things to many people. BUT there is ONE reason these bows were created- ONE thing they are to symbolize:

"I establish My covenant with you; and all flesh shall never again be cut off by the water of the flood, neither shall there again be a flood to destroy the earth."

God said, "This is the sign of the covenant which I am making between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all successive generations;

I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth.

"It shall come about, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow will be seen in the cloud,

and I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and never again shall the water become a flood to destroy all flesh.

"When the bow is in the cloud, then I will look upon it, to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth."

And God said to Noah, "This is the sign of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth."

Genesis 9:11-17

Manna

A couple days ago I blogged about God's faithfulness. I mentioned how even though we were not getting our "manna from Heaven," He is still faithful. Well today we got a little manna- I think God just wanted to show off a bit. ;)
On our way to Wal-Mart I got the mail, and in it was a $5 gift card to W.M.! How cool is that?! God IS SO faithful!

I have been busy with the bird room revamp- got it all done really. I just need to get it all on the walls. Sorry to keep you waiting- I plan to hang it all tomorrow, so be sure to check back then! Here is another little preview:
I bought 6 of these napkins since I can't buy fabric by the yard...
With one napkin I made this throw pillow for the bed. I stitched it by hand, (sewing machine needs some grease)- it is my very first sewing project, and I am quite proud of myself! {Mr. Incredible was too} :) Oh, ignore the dip in fabric- I need to fluff out the fluff better! :)


Lastly, I got an email from a friend today. Here is her little girl reading my book. Is this not the cutest thing ever?? Click here to see more adorable pics!

Date Night

Mr. Incredible and I have been married for a little over 3 years. Sadly though, we have not taken many date nights. Now, don't get me wrong- we are ALWAYS together! We go out to eat, shop, and just hang out everyday! {we love it! Isn't it the best having a best friend who is always there?} BUT, we have not go on a DATE date in FOREVER! You know- getting dressed up for dinner and movie!

Normally when kids come you lose date nights, but I think it will be the opposite for us. We will lose our everyday hang out time, but we will gain date nights. We will have to get a sitter, but we will be more purposeful in having date nights!

We ate at my FAV restaurant- Spaghetti Warehouse, and we saw the 4th and final installment of Shrek. It was cute, not the best Shrek, but a must see for any Shrek fans!
Family Photo Op in front of the Fireplace!
I forgot to show this in my excitement about Boston. Here is my anniversary present. It is a charm necklace from James Avery. This is our anniversary birth stone. I have a few other charms picked out as well as two birth stones to be added- hopefully soon! ;)
We got in the car for our date and the temp said 102. The car had been sitting all day, so I thought the reading may have been off. NOPE. Here is the reading later that day! It is only May y'all!

Great is Thy Faithfulness!

God is so faithful! Even when He says "no," or "not now"- He is still so faithful!

Sometimes He drops manna from the sky, or someone drops groceries on your door step when you didn't know how you were going to afford your next meal, (never happened to me but it did to friends of ours). But sometimes, He doesn't send the help you needed. But He is still faithful!

It would have been awesome if someone came up to us and was like, "Hey, I'm a licensed plumber AND a licensed electrician and I will do your inspections for free!" That would have been cool, but unlikely. That would have been manna.

Here is how God is faithful:

I got my VB stuff in the mail the same day I got the news we were gonna have to put the process "on hold" in a sense. Since it was my birdie bandage, I wanted to get to work on it immediately to take my mind off waiting. Well, we were waiting to do the inspections because of money, so spending money on the bird room would have been silly. So I asked Mr. Incredible if I could spend like $20 at Hobby Lobby so I could keep my mind busy this weekend. He said sure. :)

I thought the $20 would be for just a few items, and I would have to go back next paycheck to buy more, and go again later, etc. Well, we get there and the wood is 40% off!!!!! THANK YOU LORD! Seriously, I said that in the isle and was in awe of His faithfulness! We got out of Hobby Lobby buying EVERYTHING I wanted for the room on that isle and we spend $21!

When we got in the car, I realized I forgot Modge Podge. OOPS! We ran back in and it was $6! UGH! I thought it would be like $3 {no $6 won't break the bank, but still} He asked if I really needed it and of course I do! So we are in line and the lady behind us says, "I have the 40% coupon that has to be used on non sale items- since all these are on sale would y'all like it?" SO we got the Modge Podge for 40% off! Do you not see this as God? I do!

Also, I had plans for lunch with a friend, bobbin lessons with a different friend in the afternoon, and a 5th grade graduation in the evening to attend yesterday. The day after we got the "put on hold news." I didn't even have time to work on the bird room, I was so busy! See His faithfulness! All of this occurred when I would have been the most depressed about the whole thing! {Also, I received many encouraging words from firends that are priceless! Thanks so much!}

I see God even in the littlest, most mundane things. You should too! For those of us in Christ, He is our Father! He loves us and cares for even the littlest details in our lives knowing it will bring us joy and Him praise and adoration! He was able to show His glory and faithfulness to me in the last 2 days because I have to wait for the inspections. If that isn't Romans 8:28 in the works- I don't know what is! :)

I am off to work on the bird room some more until Mr. Incredible gets home, (early!! wahoo!), but would you like a sneak peek before I go?
Ok, the blue may seem random, but in the trees are little blue birds. In person you can see this better. :)
I just love the little bird cage. This card is the only VB product with that pic! I HAD to get it!! :)

Birdie Bandage for the Bump

Ok, first of all the bump I am referring to is not THE BUMP. I am not preg. I am referring to a bump along the adoption road.

We are moving towards fostering two little cuties that stole our hearts, so as of now it is not technically an adoption road anyway.

But we have hit a bump, and I am bummin'! We have to get a fire inspection then we can have our home study. No problem. We can get the inspection this week or next with the home study to follow. Well, before we get the fire inspection we have to get 3 different inspections as well- which are not cheap.

The bump? We will have to schedule the inspections for 2 weeks from now. {next pay check for anyone keeping track} THEN we will have to wait for our home study. We could have had the home study DONE in 2 weeks quite possibly, but now we can't even get to that step for another 2 weeks. Not what I had in mind. Please pray that once the inspections are done, they can get to our home study quickly.

As you can imagine, I am quite bummed. So I am applying a Birdie bandage! Unfortunately I had pics for this post, but blogger is not letting me! SORRY!!! I will be spending tonight working on the bird room since my Vera Bradley package came in the mail!

Here is a song that has been on my heart since March. It is a romantic song, but ignore that aspect and think of it from the eyes of a Mommy waiting for her babies. Prayers appreciated!

Just the 3 of Us

We are counting down the days until our kiddos come home, but we are also trying to enjoy life as it is now. God has had us wait for a reason, so we are trying to wait patiently, {trying being the operative word}.
Through the glass of the backdoor. He is soaking up every minute of his last days/weeks as an only child. ;)
Bolt ATTACKS you with kisses if you are not ready!
One of my new favs of all time!

I don't know why I like this one so much, but I do. :)
Ditto for this one! :)
It should be illegal to love a dog this much! ;)